Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a complex demyelinating disease involving central nervous system (CNS). It is still a challenge to secure an effective therapeutic strategy against this disease. Carbenoxolone (CBX) is a derivative of glycyrrhetinic acid, which is widely used in brain research for its gap-junction inhibition effects. Many researchers have observed CBX-mediated suppression of CNS inflammation in their studies. Objective: We want to further examine its anti-inflammation effects in CNS demyelinating disease like MS. Methods: Thus, our study applied an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model and examined the effects of CBX on it. Results and Conclusions: We found that CBX significantly reversed the EAE severity and pathology in EAE. IL-17-secreting and IFN-γ-secreting CD4+ T lymphocytes were remarkably lower in the spleen of CBXtreated mice. Production of IL-23 and IL-17 from cortex in EAE animals was markedly reduced by CBX. Furthermore, CBX treatment increased the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This study provides evidence for the protective role of CBX against EAE.
Based on the symptoms, especially those affecting small vessels, it is difficult to distinguish multiple sclerosis (MS) from primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps understand the characteristics of deep gray matter lesions (DGML) in MS and PACNS. We aimed to compare the MRI characteristics of thalamus and basal ganglia lesions between relapsing-remitting MS and PACNS. In our study, 49 relapsing-remitting MS patients and 16 PACNS with MRI-confirmed thalamus or basal ganglia lesions were enrolled. Among the DGMLs in basal ganglia, putamen had significantly higher (P = 0.037) involvement in PACNS than in MS. More importantly, larger lesion sizes in thalamus helps to distinguish PACNS (12.4 ± 4.3 mm) from MS (7.9 ± 3.7 mm) (P = 0.006). But using lesions in basal ganglia, researchers were unable to differentiate the two disorders. Presently, our study shows that MRI performances of deep gray matter differ between MS and PACNS.
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